Baby's injuries from father untreated for days

In March Judge Jeff Lantz will sentence the man who broke his infant's leg and collar bone. (CBC)

A P.E.I. man who broke the leg and collar bone of his infant daughter allowed the injuries to go untreated for five days, provincial court heard in Summerside Tuesday.

The 21-year-old Prince County man was in court for a sentencing hearing. The incident happened last June when he was changing a diaper on his three-month-old baby. He has pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

It was the child's grandmother who took the infant to hospital when she noticed something was wrong five days later.

The baby was transferred to Halifax, where doctors confirmed the girl's upper thigh bone and collar bone had been broken. When questioned by police, the baby's parents denied knowing what happened.

The man confessed a month later after police asked him to take a lie-detector test.

The court heard the baby faces complications in years to come from her broken bones. Doctors are keeping a close eye on her.

Defence lawyer Trish Cheverie told court her client was under stress and likely sleep deprived the day he injured his daughter. He'd just found out that day he'd lost his job and he was deep in debt.

The prosecutor called for an 18-month jail sentence. The defence suggested two to 12 months.

Judge Jeff Lantz will hand down his decision next month.

There is a publication ban on the name of the man, in order to protect the identity of his daughter.

Clarifications

A previous version of this story said the court heard the baby's mother did not tell anyone about the injuries.
We should have also included there was no evidence presented that she was aware of the injuries at the time.